Railway axle journal dust guard and oil retainer



June 24, 1958 Y J. J. HENNESSY 2,840,396

RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL DUST GUARD AND 011. RETAINER Filed Dec. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 24, 1958 J. J. HENNESSY 0, 5

RAILWAY AXLE-JOURNAL; DUST GUARD AND OIL RETAINER Filed Dec 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bee United States Patent RAILWAY JOURNAL DUST GUARD AND OIL James J. Hennessy, Chambersburg, Pa., assignor to Hennessy Lubricator Company, Inc., Chambersburg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application December 15, 1954, Serial No. 4 7 5,455 .13 Claims. '(Cl. 286-6) box and the adjacent portions of the axle.

When a railway journal and bearing are adequately lubricated, there is usually a tendency for superfluous oil to flowalong the journal towards the hubofthe wheel mounted on the axle and to be thrown off the journalat the outer edge of the fillet atthe inner end of the bearing and also, if not arrested, at the outer edge of the fillet at the inner end of the shoulder between the journal bearing and the -Wheel seat. These edges may move outwardly of the box far enough to result in loss of oil from the box. Many dust guards and oil seals have been proposed embodying various forms of pressure seals engaging the inner wall of the journal box and the surfaceof-the adjacent portion of the axle. Some of these seals are eifective when originally installed and particularly'if there is no excessive play of the axle and journal box relative to each other lengthwise of the axle. The effectiveness of such seals may be lost when the material contacting the axle becomes hardened by agingor' by dirt and particularly when the wear between the ends of the journal bearing and the journal collar and fillet permits the journal to play back and forth in the box an amount which brings the inner end of the intermediate portion of the axle, between the journal and the wheel seat, outside the rear wall of the dust guard pocket portion of the journal box.

The main object of the present invention is to prevent the loss of oil along the journal as indicated above.

Another object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, serviceable device which may be readily installed, and replaced, in the usual journal box dust guard pocket.

The invention comprises a device which surrounds the axle and may move therewith transversely of the axle axis and forms in effect a rearward extension of the dust guard cavity in the box to trap oil thrown on by the axle fillet edges irrespective of wiper'action of the guard.

-In the accompanying drawings illustratingthe invention, Figure l is a vertical section through an American Association of Railroad-s (A. A. R.) journal box bearing and wedge mounted upon an axle journal with associated dust and oil guard. V

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and drawn to a larger scale.

Figure 3 is a detail section corresponding to the lower right hand portion of Figure l, but to a larger scale, and showing the box moved along the axle a substantial distance to the left of the position shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed section corresponding to Figure 3 but showing the box movedalong the axle to the right portion of the guard Figure 7 is a rear view of another portion of the guard.

Figure 8 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows another form of the invention.

Figure 9 corresponds to Figure 4'and showsthe structure of Figure 8 with the box and guard in a diiferent position relative to the axle.

Figure 10 is a rear view of the rear piece unit shownin Figures 8 and 9. Figure 11 is a detail section corresponding to the lower :portion of Figure 8 but showing another form of the invention. i a

Figure 12 is a similar section showing anotherform of the invention. V j

The :journal box illustrated is the same as the usual A. A. R; standard box, including a bottom wall 1;, a top. wallg2,.and spaced rear walls 3 and 4, apertured t'o receive theaxle and forming a du-stfguard :pocltetP be tween them. .The axle includes a wheel seat portion 5,-a journal Zportion 6 of smaller-diameter,and-an intermediate'or dust guard portion?! having'a diameter larger than the journalbut smaller than thewheel seat, the peiipheries of the guard of journal ,6 and intermediate. portions7. terminating in fillets Sand 9, respectively. 1 The box is mounted up'on' the. journal gbythe usual be'aringilll andlwedge 11.

.T-heoil and dust guardeassembly comprises threeunits illustrated in' Figures 15,136, :and .7; respectively. ilhe' main part of the left jhandzunit .is .a-pla'te '15 which has a semi-circular lower contour 16 and an-an'gular'upper contour 17 and a relatively large-diameter aperturell8. The right hand face 19 of,the' plate is.substantially smooth and flat springs 20 ar'eisecu'red-to the'left hand face.

The. main part of .the middle 'unit is formed byaiplate 21 having a contourcorresponding' to plate 15 and having an aperture .22 of smaller. diameter than aperture. 18 and formed by a collar-like .fiange 23. Fittinggwithinflange 23 is a cylindrical sleeve 24 projecting. beyond .the right hand face of plate .21 and. terminatingiii'aniintufned annular ,flange' 25, the-.tinner periphery ofwhich has a diameter less than aperture 22 but greater than .the diame ter of axle wheel seat'S.

Member .24, 25 is .of plastic material itoo stiif rto' distort noticeably under v manual thrust-but deformable under higher pressure such as will "be exertedfby thrustbetween the journal box. and the axle when .they shift.

transversely ofthe axis. Thematerial possesses sufiicientelasticity to resume its original form when such'pressure from the box and axle is relieved -A wiper ofreadily flexible materialhasa-portion 26 seatedagainstsleeve24 and has an inturned. flange 27,..which'may flex to -fit.

around, the axle intermediate portion 7 (see Figures "1 and 3) or around the wheel seat portion 5 ('see'FiguIeAy A cylindrical retainer band 28 may fit within Wipe-r. poI:-: tion 26 and rivets '29 may pass throughelem ents-23t'24,

26, and 2'8 to secure them together.

Preferably band 28' has :upp'er andlower lug S430 tact is made between .the axle intermediate portion 7 and either of lugs 31, the lattenwill resist jfur th'ermove-i ment of the journal by. the thrust of the opposite vertical edges of plate 21 against the sidewalls 12 of the journal-1 box pocket and prevent damage due. to roughlha'ndling Qf rh ssj pp qaq the ax e losetegoughgto: sse s t s talw ys bein eutral n gcate w th -i spct w heiss saltasd t9 :fqllqw isms sl ts:

8, in. thelbox transversely contact between the wiping ring and the journal. The arrangement provides for contact between the axle, the guard, and, the ,sides' ofljthe box-before the journal ,be'aring; 19-, can. be lifted; upwardly; and .moved;laterallyl far enough to result. in excessive wear oflthc bearing. and etain nsjrincv n =1 ,Theiright hand unitof the assembly comprises a plate 35 similar in contour to plates 15 and 21 butahaving am aperture 3800f sufficient, diameter to freely receive flange 23. A liner 36 of. sponge rubber or similar sealing material is secured to. :the rear face offplate 35 by cement or staples When the assembly journallbox pocket. P,-spring's 20 thrustthe'units together and compress liner 36 against journal boxrear wall 4. I. ;,With this arrangement, the journal may play back and forth in 1116.1bX lengthwise :of the axle to. the extent indicated in Figures3 and 4, or even. farther without contactbetween wiper 27 and the axle being broken. Thelubricant thrown off from fillet 8 in either position,

guard. and cannot escape through the opening in the box of itsmaxis andr'naintaining I is assembled and inserteduin the inturned annular flange spaced from the inner face of the box rear wall and forming, in effect, a rearward extension of the dust guard pocket P in the box. This extension is always to the right of the axle fillet to which oil may flow and be discharged radially of the axle and this relation of'the pocket extension to the oil discharging. fillet is maintained during shifting of the box longitudinally of the axle. Also, the'upper edge of the lower portion of the inturned annular flange of this pocket extension is at a higher level than 'the adjacent edge of.the pocket, inner end wall 3. This difference in levels insures the return to the box sump of surplus oil trapped by the pocket extension elements even though oil in'the' dust guard pocket may rise above the level of the upper edges of the box end walls.

The extension members 24, 25, 42, 44, 50, 51, 60 and 61 are preferably formed of a nylon plastic such as made underthetrade name Zytel which has durable elastic characteristics adapting. it for the purposes derear; wall 4.1;. The relatively s'tiifsealmember 24, '25

freely receives the wheel seat. portion 5. Since the substantiallyprigid memberj24,*rdoes not contact the wheel .seat shoulder, there will bear) tendency to rupture flange'25 andFwiper 27,. as could occur if there were unyielding contact between either of the elements 24, 25 iand flllet 9 during relative longitudinal movement of theaxleandrbox.

. A simpler two "unit assembly is shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, in=which the axle and journal box are the same as previously described and the left hand unit 40 corresponds to the. left hand unitpreviously described, except: that, if necessary, its springs 41 will be somewhat deeper than' springs2 0a Theremaining unit comprises a collar-like part 42 with an'outturned flange 43 at its .leftihand end and. an inturned flange 44 at its right hand end.n:'Ihe, diameter of the inner periphery 45 of flange 44 is large. enough to. freely receive wheel seat 5 asthe. axle and box'move relative to each other to the position shown in Figure 9. Any oil thrown olf at fillet: 9 will be discharged against the inner face of element 42 and'returned to the journal box, rather than escaping through the opening'in box rear wall 4. A liner 46 is applied to the right hand face of flange 43 andicorresponds in'structure and function to liner 36 previouslydcscribed; t i

Preferably part 42 fits within the wall 4 and moves with the box'transversely of the axle. Such movement is limitedrby contact between the journal and flange 45 which is thick enough and strong enough toresist firmly and stop the'relative movement without collapsing;

. Figure ll shows a guardand seal similar to that shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, but the inturned flange 50 on collar 51 is provided with a relatively thin, integral terminal 52, the inner aperture of which is smaller than the diameter of thekintermediate dust guard portion 7 of the axleand therefore: the terminal is deflected to form a. wiper during normal operation. At the same time, it may yield further to receive the axle wheel seat portion 5 in the event of such unusual relative movement of the box and journal lengthwise of the axle.

Figure. 12 shows another arrangement in which the collar portion 60 ofthe guard and the inturned flange 61 are tapered. from the guard outerflange 62 to the inner periphery. of the flange 63 and the entire flange 61, .63 may flex to accommodatev movement. of the axle wheel scat'5 inwardly of the journalbox.

.In un forms of the invention there is a closure part seated a'gainst the'innerface of. the rear wall of the box and; having a} collarextending" outwardly through" the-opening in" the-box rearw'all-and terminating inanopening in box rear.

scribed.

The arrangement shown in Figures1-7 is particularly effective when applied to cars used in dumping. machines atcoal and ore docks or the like where the entire car is rotated about a longitudinal axis 180 or more to discharge its contents.-

. The details of the structure may be varied other than as shown without departing from the spiritof the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

ing the axle intermediate portion, an oil retaining device comprising a plate-like member movable into the dust guard pocket transversely of the axis of said openings and having a similar opening and provided with a collar-like member surrounding said opening and projectingfrom the plate-likemember into the opening in the outer upright wall a distance corresponding to the thickness of said end wall and terminating at its outer end in a radial: ly inwardly extending flange, the internal diameterof which exceeds the diameter of said axle Wheel seat por:

tion whereby the flange is adapted to freely receive said axle portion, as the box shifts inwardly from the end of the axle, and thereby form a lubricant trap surrounding the fillet between said wheelseat portion of the axle and said intermediate portion of the axle.

2. A railway axle, journal box and oil retaining structure according to claim 1 which includes a layer of compressible sealing material positioned between the plate-like member and the pocket outer wall.

3. A structure according to claim 1 which includes a readily deformable wiper extending radially inwardly from the collar-like member and surrounding and slidingly contacting the axle. I

4. A railway axle, journal box and oil retaining structure according to claim 1 in which the plate member and the collar extension with inturned'flange constitute a single integral unit with the inturned flange opposing the axle transversely of its axis and formed of material adapted to'resist shifting of the axle and the oil retaining device transversely of the box under normal pressure from thrust between the journal box and axle transversely of the 5. A railway axle, journal box and oil retaining device. according toclaim 1, in which there are elements on the plate-like member at the top and bottom of the opening therein projecting towards the axis of said opening and holding the axle and plate against substantial relative movement vertically of the box.

6. A railway axle, journal box and oil retaining device according to claim 1 in which the collar projecting from the plate-like member fits snugly within the axlereceiving opening in the journal box outer wall, whereby the plate-like member and the elements carried thereby move with the box transversely of the axle.

7. An oil guard for a railway axle having a journal portion and a wheel seat portion of larger diameter than the journal portion, comprising a cylindrical body, an annular flange extending radially outwardly from one end of said body and an annular flange extending radially inwardly from the other end of said body, said flanges being of form-sustaining material and section, the diameter of the inner periphery of the latter-mentioned flange being greater than the diameter of the wheel seat portion of the axle for which the oil guard is constructed, there being an annular liner of compressible material surrounding the cylindrical body and lying against the radially outwardly extending annular flange and spaced a substantial distance lengthwise of the cylindrical body from the radially inwardly extending flange.

8. A railway axle journal box dust guard and oil retainer according to claim 7 in which a wiper of readily flexible material projects inwardly from the inner periphery of the inwardly extending flange.

9. An oil guard according to claim 7 in which the cylindrical body and flanges consist of an integral unit of plastic material which is too stifI' to distort under manual thrust, with the radially inwardly extending flange, at least, being deformable under pressure exerted between a journal box and axle but possessing elasticity suflicient to cause the flange to resume its original shape after such deforming pressure is removed.

10. An oil guard according to claim 7 which includes restrictive elements at the top and bottom of the cylindrical body projecting radially inwardly toward the axis of the body and in alignment with the radially outwardly extending flange so that the effective inside vertical diameter of the body at these elements is less than its horizontal diameter.

11. An oil guard for a railway axle having a journal portion and a wheel seat portion of larger diameter than the journal portion, comprising a cylindrical body, an annular flange extending radially outwardly from one end of said body and an annular flange extending radially inwardly from the other end of said body, said outer flange being of form-sustaining material throughout its section and the inner flange being of form-sustaining section except for its inner margin, the inner diameter of the outwardly extending annular flange and of said body and of the form-sustaining section of the inwardly extending flange being greater than the diameter of the Wheel seat portion of the axle for which the oil guard is constructed, there being a relatively thin flexible integral margin on the inwardly extending flange having a diameter less than the diameter of the wheel seat of the axle for which the oil guard is constructed.

12. An oil guard according to claim 11 in which the cylindrical body and inwardly extending annular flange and its terminal are tapered gradually from the outwardly extending flange to the terminal.

13. An oil guard according to claim 7 which includes a detachable yielding member alongside the annular radially outwardly extending flange for exerting thrust on the latter axially of the cylindrical body when the yielding member is seated against a dust guard pocket wall, the axial length of the cylindrical body over its radially outwardly extending flange and the radially inwardly extending flange being less than the distance between the outer faces of the annular liner and said yielding member when the cylindrical body and member are assembled in functioning relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,104,361 Lassmann July 21, 1914 1,179,846 Lassmann Apr. 18, 1916 2,532,449 Hennessy Dec. 5, 1950 2,688,503 Hennessy Sept. 7, 1954 2,758,853 Beck Aug. 14, 1956 2,781,208 Foss Feb. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,002 Great Britain of 1902 

